Storage building



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,584

I S. LAKE sTpimcrE BUILDING Filed NOV. 11, 1924. 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 s-nu Hum f T0311 0 a Tam Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,584

' s. LAKE STORAGE BUILDING Filed NOV. 11. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept.- 22, 1925.

S. LAKE STORAGE BUILDING Filed Nov.

11, 1924 .6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 22, 1925.

S. LAKE STORAGE BUILDING Filed Nov,

11, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4- Sept. 2-2, 1925.

S. LAKE STORAGE BUILDING Filed Nov;

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIHHLi S. LAKE STORQGE BUILDING Sept. 22, 1925.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs 1,554,584 PATENT GFFICE.

smon LAKE, or MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

STORAGE BUTLD NG.

Application filed November 11, 1224. Serial No. 749,228.

in thestreets, especially in business sections,

for more than a specifiedlength of time, and in order to have the automobile retain its features of convenience in transportation, it is essential to provide places where drivers may leave their vehicles for any required period without molestation.

Various expedients have been resorted to for meeting this problem, the most effective being the public garage having numerous 'fioors. But in garages of this type now in use, the manner of handling the vehicles in storing them, and in returning them to their driverswhen called for, is so time-consuming as to well nigh defeat their main purpose, that of convenience to the driver.

The object of this invention is to provide a garage of such construction and arrange ment, and provided with means for handling vehicles and for transporting them to and from their place of storage of such a nature, that no appreciable amount of time is consumed, and the exasperating delays now common are done away with.

To this end the invention consists in a garage or storage building having a plurality of floors furnishing storage space for a multiplicity of automobiles or other vehicles. or of merchandise, and each of said floors having an open space running from end to end of the building and providing in superposition an elongated elevator well or shaft in which is arranged an elevator car ried upon a vertical column, the column being so carried as to be capable of uniform travel in said well from end to end of the building, and the elevator being so mounted upon the column as to be capable of vertical and rotative movement thereon. And the invention consists, further in various instrumentalities, and in the associations of elements to produce the desired utility of the whole, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional erspective view of the interior of one hal of a garage or storage building and an ele- -vator and handling mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2-is a transverse vertical section of the building and appurtenances. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of the ground floor of the building. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan typical of one of the floors of the building above the ground floor, and looking down the elevator shaft or well. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section of the elevator mechanism. Fig. (i is an enlarged detail section illustrating a tire curtain and associated mechanism. Fig. 7 is a section, taken onthe line 77 of Fig. 6.

In the invention as illustrated, I provide a storage building having a ground floor 1, a basement 2, a runway 3, and a plurality of upper floors 4, surmounted by a pent-house 5 in the roof 6.

On the ground floor 1 the building is provided with showrooms and ofiices 7, and has an entrance passageSand an exit passage 9. Checkers stations 10 and 11 are ar ranged at the entrance and exit respectively.

Columns 12 support the various floors of thebuilding. The ground floor 1 and base- I ment 2 are without partitions or other obstructions aside from the columns 12, but the upper floors are divided by partitions 13 furnishing, in effect. separate storage spaces 'or rooms. which may be completely isolated from each other and from the rest of the building by fireproof curtains (Figs. 6 and 7) comprising sections 14 of metal or other fireproof material hinged or otherwise flexibly connected as at 15 and provided with rods 16 carrying rollers 17 which roll in ways 18 formed in a suitable manner by T irons 19 secured to the columns 12, the rollers serving by their cooperation with the ways 18 to maintain the curtains in tireproof relation to the columns 12 when in lowered position and to guide the curtains in proper alignment when raised, as shown in Fig. 6. The curtains are adapted to fall of their own weight and automatically, upon occurrence of fire, and are controlled by drums 20 around which are wound cables 21 and 22 which travel over pulleys 23 and 24 respectively and support the front and rear ends of the lowermost sections 14 of the curtains. The drums are normally retained in curtain elevating position by trips engaging lugs 26 on the drums and held by any appropriate thermally con trolled latches 27. If desired, chemical or the like. fire extinguishers 28 may be supported in unstable equilibrium, as shown,

upon pivots 29 and are adapted to be tipped over by engagement with them of the lugs 26 upon the automatic release of the curtains.

The curtains may be raised and lowered manually, independently of the automatic means, in any suitable manner, by operation of the cables 30.

As shown, the sections 14 of the curtains are rovided on their outer edges with eyes l sociated meehainism, shown in detail in Fig.

- carrier or car 33, and in the pent-house.

5 I provide a track 34 carrying a travelt be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 37 I shaft or well A and slots 6 and c.

5, it will be seen that, in the runway I provide a track 32 upon which travels a lin carrier or car 35. Supported between an guided by these cars 33 andg35' is a. tubular column 36 in which is arrangedj a vertical shaft 37 provided at its ends with like; pinions 38 and 39 meshing-with like racks. 40 and 41 respectively. This shaft 37 is rotated by a worm and wheel gearing 42 driven by a motor 43. It will thus the column 36 and its supporting cars 33 and 35 will be given a travelling movement lengthwise of the building in the elevator Due to the combined drive of the top and bottom of the column by means of the rack and gear mechanism 38-40 and 3941 both ends of the column will travel at the same speed and no swaying or canting of the column will occur.

Embracing the column and slidable ver- 7 tically thereon is a sleeve-44 provided with a key 45 which engages a keyway 46 formed in the column whereby the sleeve 44 is prevented from turning relatively" to the column. i

Mounted in a circular bearing groove 47 in the sleeve 44 is a bearing ring supports, by means of suitable shng'frames 49, an elevator platform. 50 guided on thecolumn 36 by a collar 51 upon which it has a rotative bearing at 52. The platform V may be rotated with respect to the column bymeans of a shaft 53 carrying a pinion 54 meshing with a and driving, through gearin 48 which 7 r55 carried by the sleeve 44, and this si h isdriven b a reversible motor 56 througha worm an wheel or other gearing 57.

V The elevator platform. 50 'is raised and lowered on the column 36 by means of a reversible motor 58 carried by the car 33 59, a drum 60 upon which is-wound a ca le 61 guided by a pulley 62 into the interior .of the column 36 and extending to. a point adjacent to the top thereof where it passes outsideover a pulley .63 and is connected to the sleeve 44 at 64. A counter-weighted cable 65 may be attached to the'sleeve 44 at 66 and run over pulley 67 to the interior of v the column where its weight 68 is housed.

The motors 43, 58 and 56 are controlled, and the operation of the elevator mechanism governed, as desired, through a controller 69', of,any approved form, conveniently located in a-crows-nest 7 0 where the operator stands and which is carried by the sleeve 44. Current for the several motors is taken from rails 71 and 72 preferably mounted in the pent-house 5 and contacted with by brushes or shoes, indicated at 73 from which a multiple cable 74 leads to .the controller f 699A slack-adjuster 75 may be carried by the cable 74. a

-The several upper floors of the building may be provided with sectional barriers 76 pivoted at 77 and counter-weighted as at 78, (see Fig. 6) and these barriers will turn down upon' the floors when a-vehicle is to be run off of the elevator platform, but will prevent a vehicle from rolling ofi, of the floor and into the elevator well.

Gates 79 are pivoted at 80 to the elevator platformand may be dro ped. down, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, when a vehicle is to be unloaded from the-plat-' form.

As shown in Figs. 1. 3 and 4 ano ening (i may be provided in the groun. floor 'through which the elevator platform maydescend to the basement and by which its carrying surface may be aligned with the ground floor.

The use, in actual practice, of a storage lmildingconstructed in accordance with my invention may be stated as follows Assuming that a motorist wishes to leave his automobile in an area in which parking is restricted, and intends to be-occupied for a period of time longer than that permitted by the regulations, he drives into the building at the entrance 8 and. ishanded an identification check by an attendant stationed at 10, a tag bearing an identification character or number corresponding with that borne by the check being attached meanwhile to the automobile in some conspicuous manner. The attendant at the same time makes a note of the probable atively short time the automobile is left standing where he ha ves it, so long as it vention is notso limited, but may be em-; 'ployed 1n thus caring for merchandise and does not interfere with later arrivals, but, if he is to be gone for a relatively lon time, the elevator is brought to the groun floor, is moved longitudinally ofthe building to a position adjacent to the automobile.

and .is then rotated by means of the motor 56 and gearing 57 and 54-55 to a position in which! the automobile may be. run

straight upon it without backing and filling. The elevator is then, raised and moved longitudinally of the building until it reaches the floor and storage space where the automobileis to be deposited, and is brought to a stop, whereupon, the gate 79 being lowered and thereby swinging down the barrier section 76, as shown in dotted linesin.

Fig. 6, the automobile may be run off of the elevator platform. and into the space to which it has been assigned. The automobile may be run off either under itsown power or by'means of a hook and tackle, as indicated in Fig. 1.

When the motorist returns for his auto -mobile, these steps 'in its handling are reversed and he leaves through the exit 9, depositing'his check with the attendant stationed at 11, who at the same time removes the identification tag from the automobile and receives payment of the. storage charge.

Obviously, the elevator may be raisedqor lowered and moved longitudinally of the building in either direction at the same time at the will of the operator stationed in the crows-nest 70, and it may also, if desired, be rotated while between floors.

It will be apparent that, although the foregoing description is devoted to the hanling and storing of automobiles, the inthe like which must be qiiickly handled and stored for easy accessibility.

By the construction and arrangement of a storage building and an elevator mechanism in accordance. with my invention as shown and described, it is possible to park or storea great many automobiles or other vehicles, or a large quantity of merchandise on a limited ground area without sacgilficing easy accessibility and rapid hanlng.

It is to be noted, moreover, that, as in-- dicated at y, Fig. 4, the storage'rooms or spaces are of sufiicient depth to accommodate two automobiles end to end, and that the elevator platform is of a size to accommodate two automobiles side by side. Thus, if the automobile I, Fig. 4, is called for rioi' tojthe automobile II, the one automo'i- 2 ile II may be run upon one side of" the elevator, the other automobile I run onto the other side of'the elevator,'and then the first automobile 11 returned to its storage space.

Variouschanges in construction are contemplated as'within the spirit of the inven- What I claim is i 1. In a storage buildingfa plurality of floors provided with elongated openings together forming an elevator shaft extending longitudinallya'nd vertically the length and height of the building respectively, anelevator-arranged in said shaft," means for movingsaid elevator longitudinally of said elevator, and means for rotating the elevator, said" means being capable. of independent actuation.

2.-In a storage building, a plurality of floors provided with elongated openings to gether ,forming an elevator sl aft extend ing longitudinally and vertically .the length and height of the building respectively, an elevator arranged in said shaft, means for 'moving saidelevator longitudinally of said shaft, means for raising and lowering the elevator, and means for rotating the elevashaft, means for raising and lowering the tor, said means being capable of independ ent actuation separately ori simultaneously.

Q3. In a storage building,\means defining an elevator shaft extending longitudinallyand vertically thereof, a column extending vertically of said shaft and capable of movement longitudinally therein, and an elevator platform carried by and surrounding said column and movable longitudinally thereon.

4. In a storage building, means defining an elevator shaft extending longitudinally thereof, a column extending vertically cen trally of said shaft, means for supportingsaid column for movement longitudinally of the shaft, an elevator'platform, and means for supporting said platform upon and surrounding said column for travel longitudinally thereof.

. 5. In a storage building, means defining an elevator shaft extending longitudinally thereof, a column arranged vertically of said shaft, travelling carriers supporting theup l per and lower ends of said column, supportmg and guiding means for said carriers extending longitudinally of said building and in alignment with said shaft, a vertical drive. shaft carried by said column. and having driven members at its upper and lower ends,

stationary means cooperating with said driven membersyard with which they react, means for rotatingsaid drive shaft to impart travelling motion to both of said carriers at the same speed and through same to said column, and an elevator platform carried by said column and mounted for movement longitudinally thereof. 6. Ina storage building, means defining I .an elevator shaft extending longitudinally means for said carriers, a drive shaft arthereof, a column arranged vertically of said shaft, travelling carriers supporting the upper and lower ends of said column, tracks providing supporting and guiding ranged longitudinally of said column, pinions carried at opposite ends of said shaft, statlonary racks arranged adjacent to said tracks and meshed by said pinions, meansforimparting power to rotate said drive shaft to thereby impart simultaneous travelling movementto said carriers andthence to said column, and an elevator platform carried by said column-and mounted for,

movement longitudinally thereof.

7. The combination with an elevator shaft of relatively great longitudinalextent as compared with the vertical, of ahollow tubular column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting'and guiding the ends of said column, means for impartin travelling motion to said column longitudlnally of the shaft, an elevator platform carried by the column and mounted for movement longitudinally thereof, and a counterweight for said platform arranged for travelling movemcnt longitudinally within said column and connected with said platform.

8. The combination with an elevator shaft of relatively great longitudinal extent as compared withthe vertical, of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting and guiding the'ends of said column, means for imparting travelling motion to said column longitudinally of said shaft,

and an elevator platform. carried by the column and capable of longitudinal and rolative n'iovenient thereon.

f). The combination with an elevator shaft ofrelatively great longitudinal extent. as compared with the vertical, of a column arranged verticallvthereof, means for supporting and guiding the ends of said column, means for imparting travelling motion to said column longitudinally-of the shaft, an

for supporting and guiding the ends of said column, means including a drive shaft arranged in the interior of said column for. importing travelling movement thereto longitudinally of the elevator shaft, an elevator platform carried by said column, means for raising and lowering said platform upon 'for longitudinal sliding movement wi said column, and means for rotating said i platform with respect to said column.

11. The combination with. an elevator shaft of relatively reatlongitudinal extent as compared with t e vertical, of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting and guiding the ends of said-column,

means for imparting travelling movement to said column longitudinally of Said shaft, a sleeve carried by said column and arranged for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto, an elevator platform carried by said sleeve, and means for imparting sl1d1ng movement to sand sleeve.

'12. The combi ation with an elevator shaft of relatively great longitudinal extent as compared with the verticaL-of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for sup-' porting and guiding the ends of said column,

means for imparting travelling movement to .saidcolumn longitudinally of said shaft, a

sleeve carried by said'column' and arrg nged h respectthereto, an elevator platformjcarried by said sleeve, means for imparting sliding movement to said sleeve, and means for rotating said platform.

13. The combination with an elevator shaft of relatively great longitudinal extent as compared with the "vertical, of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting and guiding the ends of said column, means for imparting travelling movement to said column longitudinallyl of said shaft, a sleeve carried by'said column and arranged .for longitudinal sliding movement with respect thereto, an elevator platform carried by said sleeve, means for imparting sliding movement to said sleeve, and means carried by said platform and reacting against said sleeve for rotating said platform.

14. The combmation with an elevator shaft .of relatively great longitudinal extent.

as compared with the vertical, of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting and guiding the ends of said column, means for imparting travelling movement to said column longitudinally of said shaft,

a sleeve carried by said column and arranged for longitudinal sliding movement-with re spect thereto, cooperating means on said column and sleeve for preventing relativev rotation therebetween, an elevator platform carried by said sleeve, means for impartingsliding movement to said sleeve, and means carried by said platform and reacting [against said sleeve for rotating said platform.

15. The combination with an elevator shaft of relatively great longitudinal extent as compared'with the vertical, of a column arranged vertically thereof, means for supporting and guiding the ends of said column, means for im arting travelling movement to said column ongitudinally of said shaft, 9.

sleeve carried by said column and arranged including a drive pinion carried-my sgid for him itudinal sliding movement with re-' la'tform and reacting against a 011i carried spect t ereto, cooperating means on said y said sleeve for rotating-sai platform. 1

column and sleeve for preventing relative In'testimony whereof I have hereunto set rotation therebetween, an elevator platform my hand this 10th day'of November A. D. carried by said sleeve, means for imparting 1924. sliding movement to said sleeve, and means SIMON LAKE. 

